Why is it that no matter what the U.S. does, it ignites anti-American hostilities around the world?

Question

It seems to me that no matter what the U.S. does, it always produces a negative backlash even amongst out own allies at times.

If America has a specific foreign policy, it creates anti-Americansim, or if the U.S. goes to war for whatever reason, regardless of the situation or cirumstances, it creates anti-Americanism.

Can someone please explain?

Answer 1

I too, have often asked myself this and, after doing a little research and reflecting on history, I have found that the primary motivating force for this anti-American animosity is.....envy.
I can offer you a historical allusion that, I feel, parallels this present day occurrence.
Following the Persian invasions, 5th Century BC Greece was influenced primarily by the pro-democracy Athenians and the pro-oligarchy Spartans. As time went on the culture and industry of Athens began to pervade the entire Aegean area. The ideas of the Athenian philosophers, the stories of Athenian stage, the political idelogy of Athenian freedom seeped into the general milieu of Hellenic civilization.
To the oligarchic, isolationist Spartans, the intrusiveness of this culture became inescapable. No matter where Spartans went, Athens was on the minds and tongues of seemingly all Hellenes.
This was bad enough, but when Athens began building defensive walls from its city to its port (the Piraeus), the Spartans feared a plot designed to prevent any Spartan pressure from being applied to the perceived 'Athenian empire'.
Fear led to mistrust, mistrust led to anger, and anger led to a 27 year long war that gutted the Greek civilization. All because Sparta's envy in regards to the popularity of Athens.

If you actually listen to the grievances of America's "friends and enemies" you will find that their contentions are similiar: American crass populist culture is everywhere (is it our fault our culture is popular?), American style democracy is highly preferred over European style socialist-welfare dependency, capitalism is more conducive to the public good than the egalitarianism of socialist economics or the petty markets of dictatorships, and our history is one of liberating people not subjugating them to our every whim (despite what bloggers, leftists, and our Islamic enemies say).

Europe's increasing outrage with us is nothing more than that continents frustration with its' own deficit of moral leadership. While the birthplace of modern western civilization fails again and again to clean up its own mess (WWI, WWII, the Cold War, the Bosnian civil war, the colonization of terrorists within its' borders), they blast the United States as a militant unilateralist for rightfully acting in its own best interest. Europeans need to quickly realize that we did not sign away our sovereignty to a doomed concept of transnational unity (i.e. the EU). We are a sovereign nation who does not require multilateral consent to take care of unilateral problems. Alliances of mutual concern are one thing, vassaldom is something else entirely. Perhaps it is time to cut our ties with Europe and wish them the best of luck in their coming dark age.

The Middle East is a cauldron of envy-motivated emotions and designs. As long as this region allows itself to be ruled under the thumb of Islamists, we should content ourselves with the sobering reality that nothing we do will ever be acceptable, because everything we do is in violation of Allah's ordained will. The practicality of international politics will lose every single time against a fundamentalist religion that appeals to the masses. We should continue doing what we think is right and let history decide who stood on firmer moral ground.

This is long already, so I will spare you my opinions on Russia, Canada, South America and Asia. Just know this, it has to do with our culture and economy.

Answer 2

As it happens, America is now in control of people who do nothing but wrong.

Mass murder, torture, invasion and destruction of a country for no good reason -- of COURSE every human being on the planet disapproves of these actions.

Our refusal to take climate change seriously is another reason.

If we did the right thing, people wouldn't hate us.

But we have a long history of supporting oppressors agains the oppressed, of immoral wars, and of theft of other's resources.

Who wouldn't be hostile toward the biggest, most powerful terrorist organization the world has ever known?

When we joined WWII to liberate countries that Hitler and the Japanese had invaded, people didn't hate us. That's because we were doing the right thing then.

But when we do wrong, people object. What's so hard to understand about that?

Answer 3

I don't think that there is anti-American feeling for every foreign policy that the USA does. Think that is bit of a broad statement.

However, the biggest issues i think is the fact that America promotes its self as the ideal perfect democracy, and i think that we all know that this isn't a case. America has also got this attitude of 'looking down its nose' at other countries and not respecting other cultures or history. Maybe because it has none of its own?

One of the other answers above says that america is seen as the world policeman, i see it more as the worlds bully.

Answer 4

Much of what America has doen around the world has gotten support.

And--if you'll remember, evenmost of the Arab and Muslim world supported us wen we went into Afghanistan after al-Qaida.

BUT--look at Bush's policies today:
>continuing the destruction of Iraq, with, among all the other things, saddling the surrounding countries with refugees--for which the Bush admistration continues to refuse any assistance.
>supporting regimes like that in Pakistan--congratulating a dictor on "winning" a rigged election
>lying about global warming, censoring scientific reports, and refusing to work with other nations to help deal with the issue.
>continuing to support the right -wing nuts in Israe who, against the will of the Israeli people, continue to move settlers onto land that is not Israel's, and continue to try to topple the democratically elected government of the Palestinians (and yes, I know they elected jerks; that's not the point).

Just to point out some of the lowlights. There's a lot more.

But that's the kind of foreign policy that Bush has--and of course it's getting criticized. Nobody lkes bullies.

Answer 5

I can't say for each specific instance, but for many, it's a quest by the dictator, leader or government for utter control of it's citizens. They feed b.s. to the people to keep them pacified and docile,( ie. the anti American "Mickey (Farfur) Mouse" video that's being played for children in Hamas) and in many instances they're afraid of torture or worse if they betray ( or even speak badly of) their country or leader. I saw a show recently on North Korea, and the extremely squeaky tight reins they keep on their people and government officials. Any one who defected would have their entire families killed in return. There was a small group of Americans that were allowed into the country to film a documentary on the culture there, and wound up with a very strictly edited version, including the countries beautifully choreographed group dancers, (which the girls begin practising for when they first begin to walk), and people praising the "Great Leader" Kim Jong. VERY creepy! Anyway, we shouldn't take our freedom for granted, and we shouldn't necessarily blame the ignorant citizens of a given country for their contempt for us, because many of them have been brainwashed, and we should never forget that our soldiers are the reason we ARE free!!!

Answer 6

Everybody knows about America, and they either love us or hate us. No matter what we do, some are with us and some are against us.

We are the most powerful nation on earth, and people either envy or hate us for that. Some perceive us as the "policeman" of the world, and again, some like us for it and others do not.

Interestingly enough, more people legally immigrate here than to all of the rest of the countries combined. That means we must be doing something right.

Answer 7

This is because we are the last superpower left on earth. We used to have Radio Free Europe and other broadcasts around the globe. They were for America's side of the story and for propaganda for America. Now that the cold war is over, the program has been canceled. In other words we have no one explaining our side of the story. The other side has much better PR.

Answer 8

How would you like it if some big guy told you you had to do things his way or else, and then beat you up if you said no?

The US has done many things for which it has received thanks and admiration, but not when it throws its weight around. Look up "lend-lease," post WWII reconstruction programs, post-tsunami rescue and help in the Malaysian area.

You need to do more historical research to avoid making incorrect assumptions.

Answer 9

Jealousy!

The entire world wants to bite the hand that feeds.

Answer 10

Other countries are tired of our aggressive and powerful tactics. That is our image although not entirely true.